Trump and the Wide World of Emoluments
There are two clauses in the U.S. Constitution that prevent the president from being influenced directly or indirectly by outside sources, either foreign or domestic. The Foreign Emoluments Clause, article I-section 9-clause 8, prohibits the president from accepting payments of any kind from foreign governments without the express approval of Congress. The Domestic Emoluments Clause, article II-section 1-clause 7, states that the president is limited to his salary and prohibits him from accepting payments of any kind from U.S. taxpayers, also without the express approval of Congress. Congress refused to let Lincoln keep elephant tusks presented to him from the King of Siam. Andrew Jackson wasn't allowed to keep a gold medallion from Simón Bolívar. On Monday, Oct. 21, in a Cabinet meeting, Trump referred to these very real parts of the Constitution with, "You people with this phony Emoluments Clause." His frustration comes from his being forced to cancel the use of h...